What kind of schools is your humanities kid….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not an either/or question. They can “reach big” as long as they identify targets and safeties that they also like.

My humanities kid has a 4.0 uw with 10 APs, top 7% of class, TO. Has gotten into a top 30 LAC (target) with top merit and a few 50%+ admit rate state schools with top merit or honors. Rejected from two top 25 universities, still waiting on a few top 20 SLACs (all of them varying degrees of reaches).

I am new to this with a junior as well. Wouldn’t 4.0 uw mean top 1% of class and valedictorian? I mean, there is no better gpa than perfect.

No, weighted GPA tied to rigor of classes considered. 7% sounds about right for 10 APs. My kid has a 4.95 weighted GPA and is not in the top 1% of his class. 3-5% probably.

4.95 is not the top 1%? Wow. I didn’t even know gpas went that high!

He's at a magnet, lots of 4.0 UW kids taking top-rigor curriculum.

Assuming MCPS magnet, how can a kid get higher than a 4.0. I thought all kids have Alg 1, Levels 1 and 2 of a language, and PE, all of which are unweighted. 4.95 would mean those 4 classes are 5% of the total, which would mean they took 80 credits. What am I missing?

I only know what the SGGCR says, though I made a small error--it's 4.94W not 4.95. Maybe because it includes the high-school-level math and language courses taken in middle school, plus the four extra courses he had to take in summer school in order to have enough elective slots to do orchestra all four years (which is designated honors).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not an either/or question. They can “reach big” as long as they identify targets and safeties that they also like.

My humanities kid has a 4.0 uw with 10 APs, top 7% of class, TO. Has gotten into a top 30 LAC (target) with top merit and a few 50%+ admit rate state schools with top merit or honors. Rejected from two top 25 universities, still waiting on a few top 20 SLACs (all of them varying degrees of reaches).

I am new to this with a junior as well. Wouldn’t 4.0 uw mean top 1% of class and valedictorian? I mean, there is no better gpa than perfect.

No, weighted GPA tied to rigor of classes considered. 7% sounds about right for 10 APs. My kid has a 4.95 weighted GPA and is not in the top 1% of his class. 3-5% probably.

4.95 is not the top 1%? Wow. I didn’t even know gpas went that high!

He's at a magnet, lots of 4.0 UW kids taking top-rigor curriculum.

Assuming MCPS magnet, how can a kid get higher than a 4.0. I thought all kids have Alg 1, Levels 1 and 2 of a language, and PE, all of which are unweighted. 4.95 would mean those 4 classes are 5% of the total, which would mean they took 80 credits. What am I missing?

You can take language in middle school so that when you get to 9th grade you are in level 3. I think it’s just PE which is unweighted now.

But don’t the classes taken in middle school go into the gpa?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Top SLACs

Depends on major. But I'd say T20-40 SLACS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Top SLACs

Depends on major. But I'd say T20-40 SLACS.

Maybe try ED for a top SLAC but agree this is probably realistic, though info like major, ECs, leadership might change this answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Top SLACs

Depends on major. But I'd say T20-40 SLACS.

Maybe try ED for a top SLAC but agree this is probably realistic, though info like major, ECs, leadership might change this answer.

Yes, if OP’s kid has a clear favorite that’s a top 20 LAC, she should definitely ED.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year, my history-loving kid with 4.6 wgpa, 12 APs, 35 ACT but weak on ECs, wanted an international affairs major and his top 3 choices were:

1. Georgetown School of Foreign Service (did not get in).
2. International affairs major in the Dual Degree Programme offered by W&M and St Andrews in Scotland (got in, but declined).
3. George Washington Elliott School of International Affairs (got in, loved it, is attending).

He was accepted at others (McGill, UMD, St John's College in Annapolis) and got in, but they were not specialized in his major, so they were safeties of sorts.

He worked really hard on his essays, BTW. I feel that for a Humanities major, that's a must. The Dual Degree Programme required a separate 1500 word essay on an international affairs topic.

I also have a history loving kid with a strong interest in govt/International relations too.

I agree with the 3 listed above. My kid also was accepted to UVA which is strong in history/politics as well.

Here are the schools strong in international relations:
Georgetown, Yale, Brown, Tufts, UPenn, Hopkins, Univ SC, Stanford, GW, William & Mary. He applied to all of those except Stanford and U SC.
He added Princeton and Dartmouth.
So far he's in at Georgetown, UVA and W&M sent him the cypher card. He likes all 3 of those schools a lot. We will see...

OP. Is that South Carolina or USC?

Those other schools seem a long way off for my 3.8 public school kid…He’s smart but not hooked, and his GPA has been tempered by B’s in math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year, my history-loving kid with 4.6 wgpa, 12 APs, 35 ACT but weak on ECs, wanted an international affairs major and his top 3 choices were:

1. Georgetown School of Foreign Service (did not get in).
2. International affairs major in the Dual Degree Programme offered by W&M and St Andrews in Scotland (got in, but declined).
3. George Washington Elliott School of International Affairs (got in, loved it, is attending).

He was accepted at others (McGill, UMD, St John's College in Annapolis) and got in, but they were not specialized in his major, so they were safeties of sorts.

He worked really hard on his essays, BTW. I feel that for a Humanities major, that's a must. The Dual Degree Programme required a separate 1500 word essay on an international affairs topic.

I also have a history loving kid with a strong interest in govt/International relations too.

I agree with the 3 listed above. My kid also was accepted to UVA which is strong in history/politics as well.

Here are the schools strong in international relations:
Georgetown, Yale, Brown, Tufts, UPenn, Hopkins, Univ SC, Stanford, GW, William & Mary. He applied to all of those except Stanford and U SC.
He added Princeton and Dartmouth.
So far he's in at Georgetown, UVA and W&M sent him the cypher card. He likes all 3 of those schools a lot. We will see...

OP. Is that South Carolina or USC?

Those other schools seem a long way off for my 3.8 public school kid…He’s smart but not hooked, and his GPA has been tempered by B’s in math.

California

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year, my history-loving kid with 4.6 wgpa, 12 APs, 35 ACT but weak on ECs, wanted an international affairs major and his top 3 choices were:

1. Georgetown School of Foreign Service (did not get in).
2. International affairs major in the Dual Degree Programme offered by W&M and St Andrews in Scotland (got in, but declined).
3. George Washington Elliott School of International Affairs (got in, loved it, is attending).

He was accepted at others (McGill, UMD, St John's College in Annapolis) and got in, but they were not specialized in his major, so they were safeties of sorts.

He worked really hard on his essays, BTW. I feel that for a Humanities major, that's a must. The Dual Degree Programme required a separate 1500 word essay on an international affairs topic.

I also have a history loving kid with a strong interest in govt/International relations too.

I agree with the 3 listed above. My kid also was accepted to UVA which is strong in history/politics as well.

Here are the schools strong in international relations:
Georgetown, Yale, Brown, Tufts, UPenn, Hopkins, Univ SC, Stanford, GW, William & Mary. He applied to all of those except Stanford and U SC.
He added Princeton and Dartmouth.
So far he's in at Georgetown, UVA and W&M sent him the cypher card. He likes all 3 of those schools a lot. We will see...

OP. Is that South Carolina or USC?

Those other schools seem a long way off for my 3.8 public school kid…He’s smart but not hooked, and his GPA has been tempered by B’s in math.

California

Oh that’s his dream school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not an either/or question. They can “reach big” as long as they identify targets and safeties that they also like.

My humanities kid has a 4.0 uw with 10 APs, top 7% of class, TO. Has gotten into a top 30 LAC (target) with top merit and a few 50%+ admit rate state schools with top merit or honors. Rejected from two top 25 universities, still waiting on a few top 20 SLACs (all of them varying degrees of reaches).

Any chance you might reveal the Top 30 LAC?

I have a likely TO kid (ADHD with no accommodations makes standardized testing hit or miss) with a great GPA (3.9+/4.8+) and aiming for an IB diploma, and I still have no idea how much merit she might get from LACs.

We could probably afford all but the priciest schools if she got a good chunk of merit, but DCUM seems to insist that TO students only get merit at middling and below. Wondering how true that is.

Macalester

Fabulous to hear—it’s on her list of schools with her preferred programs! Will encourage her to look closer.

I have a super-sharp young colleague who’s a Macalester grad, and she loved her time there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not an either/or question. They can “reach big” as long as they identify targets and safeties that they also like.

My humanities kid has a 4.0 uw with 10 APs, top 7% of class, TO. Has gotten into a top 30 LAC (target) with top merit and a few 50%+ admit rate state schools with top merit or honors. Rejected from two top 25 universities, still waiting on a few top 20 SLACs (all of them varying degrees of reaches).

Any chance you might reveal the Top 30 LAC?

I have a likely TO kid (ADHD with no accommodations makes standardized testing hit or miss) with a great GPA (3.9+/4.8+) and aiming for an IB diploma, and I still have no idea how much merit she might get from LACs.

We could probably afford all but the priciest schools if she got a good chunk of merit, but DCUM seems to insist that TO students only get merit at middling and below. Wondering how true that is.

Macalester

Fabulous to hear—it’s on her list of schools with her preferred programs! Will encourage her to look closer.

I have a super-sharp young colleague who’s a Macalester grad, and she loved her time there.

Thanks. Have heard nothing but great things about it. It’s a very strong contender, especially because of the merit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not an either/or question. They can “reach big” as long as they identify targets and safeties that they also like.

My humanities kid has a 4.0 uw with 10 APs, top 7% of class, TO. Has gotten into a top 30 LAC (target) with top merit and a few 50%+ admit rate state schools with top merit or honors. Rejected from two top 25 universities, still waiting on a few top 20 SLACs (all of them varying degrees of reaches).

I am new to this with a junior as well. Wouldn’t 4.0 uw mean top 1% of class and valedictorian? I mean, there is no better gpa than perfect.

No, weighted GPA tied to rigor of classes considered. 7% sounds about right for 10 APs. My kid has a 4.95 weighted GPA and is not in the top 1% of his class. 3-5% probably.

How is this possible? This would mean nearly every class was AP all through high school and straight As? Our high school offers a grand total of ONE AP class for 9th graders. And not all that much more for 10th graders.

[Anonymous]

My humanities kid is headed to W&M.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid had very similar stats, plus five years of foreign language (AP), also a humanities kid. Wanted to major in foreign affairs, but was more interested in the intelligence gathering/analyzing aspect. Discovered the National Security and Foreign Affairs major at VT, chose that, and has been so very happy and busy there. Lots of study abroad programs to choose from, as well as complimentary minors. Highly recommend.

“Study abroad.”

lol

Sorry, what? Do you have anything intelligent to add, or are you just trolling? VT has a huge study abroad program, including their own campus (Steger Center) in Switzerland. Educate yourself.

https://www.globaleducation.vt.edu/students/Outbound.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid had very similar stats, plus five years of foreign language (AP), also a humanities kid. Wanted to major in foreign affairs, but was more interested in the intelligence gathering/analyzing aspect. Discovered the National Security and Foreign Affairs major at VT, chose that, and has been so very happy and busy there. Lots of study abroad programs to choose from, as well as complimentary minors. Highly recommend.

“Study abroad.”

lol

Sorry, what? Do you have anything intelligent to add, or are you just trolling? VT has a huge study abroad program, including their own campus (Steger Center) in Switzerland. Educate yourself.

https://www.globaleducation.vt.edu/students/Outbound.html

Thanks for posting this. Ignore the troll

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not an either/or question. They can “reach big” as long as they identify targets and safeties that they also like.

My humanities kid has a 4.0 uw with 10 APs, top 7% of class, TO. Has gotten into a top 30 LAC (target) with top merit and a few 50%+ admit rate state schools with top merit or honors. Rejected from two top 25 universities, still waiting on a few top 20 SLACs (all of them varying degrees of reaches).

I am new to this with a junior as well. Wouldn’t 4.0 uw mean top 1% of class and valedictorian? I mean, there is no better gpa than perfect.

No, weighted GPA tied to rigor of classes considered. 7% sounds about right for 10 APs. My kid has a 4.95 weighted GPA and is not in the top 1% of his class. 3-5% probably.

How is this possible? This would mean nearly every class was AP all through high school and straight As? Our high school offers a grand total of ONE AP class for 9th graders. And not all that much more for 10th graders.

Magnet school, all classes Honors/Magnet (9th and 10th)/AP/IB except PE. Plus Honors classes in math and language through middle school. And, yes, straight As.